The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-03-17
The Story of a Wreck.
Thrilling and Romantic Account Of
a Mutiny at Sea.
BY w. CLARK RUSSELL.
CHAPTER XVI

prised to find the wild weather holding
'on so long.
1 busted my head with all kinds OF
schemes to save the ship, and believed
it would be no hard matter to do so il
the water did not come into her more
quickly than she was now making it
Unfortunately, there were only two
parts of the ships hold which we could
get into-namely, right forward in the
fore-peak, and right aft down in the
laZarette. If she had strained a butt
or started any part of her planking or
outer skin, amidships or anywhere in
her bottom between these two points,
there would be no chance of getting at
the leak unless the cargo were slung
out of her.
But the leak could not be considered
hopeless that did not run over a foot
an hour into the ship and with the Ber-
mudas close at hand and the weather
promising l did not yet despair of
bringing the ship into harbor. At
half past eleven Cornish came and
took the wheel and the boatswain and
L again sounded the well. There was
Just thirteen inches which showed that
the water was coming in at the rate of
foot an hour, no more and no less.
We called the steward and pumped
until we had the water out again.
Though this proved that We could
keep the water down the prospect of
pumping every hour was very disheart-
ening. At best we should be able to
obtain but brief snatches of rest.
| had been on deck now for four
hnnra OF cfratnh. CORN
ish at the wheel, / lay down on the
stewards mattress in the cuddy, while
he seated himself on the bench with his
head upon the cuddy table, and snored
in that posture.
But we were all aroused again with
in the hour by Cornish, who called to
us down the companion, and away we
1oundered, with our eyes gummed up
with sleep, to the pumps, and YEARLY
worked them like miserable auto
nations.
The dawn found me again at the
wheel, having been there half an hour
| scanned the broken, desolate hori-
ION in the pale light creeping over it,
but no ship was in sight The sea.
though not nearly so dangerous as it
had been, was terribly sloppy. short
and quick and tumDled very often over
the ships sides, making the decks, with
the rattle that encountered them, look
wretched
had not had my clothes off me
for some days ana the sense of per-
sonal discomfort in no small degree
aggravated the profound feeling of
WEAKNESS which ached like rheumatism
in my body and absolutely stung in my
legs. The skin of my face was hard and
dry with long exposure to the terrible
wind and the saltwater it had blown |
and dried upon it, and though my
Undertaking was dry. vet it produced |
all the sensation of dampneSs upon my |
skin and never in all my life had | felt |
so uncomfortable, weary and spiritless
as | did standing at the wheel when |
the dawn broke, and | looked abroad |
anon the rugged fields of water and |
found no vessel in sight to inspire me |
with a moments emotion of hope.
l was replaced at the wheel by the |
boatswain and took another turn at |
the pumps. When this harassing job |
was ended | went into the forecastle, /
making my way thither with much |
difficulty.
Ihad a sacreI duty to perform and |
now that the daylight was come it was
proper | should 60 to work.
| procured a clean hammock and |
with the help of Cornish l spread it out
upon the deck and laid the body of |
poor old Mr.. Robertson upon it. l
brought the sides of the hammock to
meet over the corpse, and held them
while Cornish passed the stitches. |
then sent him to find ME big holy
stone or any pieces of iron, so as to
sink the body, and he brought some
pieces of stone which | secured in the
clewS at the foot of the hammock.
We left the face exposed, and raised
the body onto bunk and covered it
over. Having completed arrangements
l went aft and knocked at Miss Rob-
ertson's door.
She opened the door and looked at
me inquiringly, but seeing me glance
toward her father cabin. she under
stood all of sudden, and covered her
face with her hands.
81 have left mis- face uncovered for
you to kiss" said, gently, laying my
hand on her arm.
She went at once into his cabin. and
l closed the door upon her and waited
outside.
She did not keep me long waiting. l
think, brave girl that she was, even
amid all her desolating sorrow. that
she knew l would wish the burial over,
so that we might address ourselves
again to the ship.
II leave him to you now" she said
| thought she meant that she would
not witness the funeral, and was glad
that she had so resolved, and accord
ingly took her hand TO lead her away
to her cabin.
LET me be with you-' she ex-
claimed. Indeed, indeed, / am strong
enough to bear it. | should not be
happy if l did not know the moment
when he left me, that might pray to
God for him then"
BE it SO" l answered. al will call |
you when we are ready"
She left me; and Cornish and the
and / went into the cabin to
the mournful preparations.
l cased the body completely in the
hammock, and we then raised it up aud
laid it upon the stage, which we had
made to answer for q stretcher, and
over it threw sheet, so that only the
sheet and the ensign was visible.
This done, l consulted with Cornish !
as to what part of the deck we should /;
choose an order to tilt the body over l
board. 1t is generally the custom to ]
rest the body near the gangway, but l
the ship was rolling too heavily to en-
q HE ne IN do this now and tho raaip | s